The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-03-01
A STEAMER DESTROYED,
TOGETHER WITH 1000 BALES OF
COTTON
On the Morgan Line Lighters Moored
at the Pier, With a Total
Loss of 100000.
THE MARROW ESCAPE OF FIRE
MEN on THE PIER,
Hemmed on ALI Sides by Fire They
See No Escape But to
Swim.

swim.
NEW YORK, February 28.-At 6:25
o'clock this morning fire broke out on
pier 81, N nth river, owned by the
Morgan Liue Steamship Company.
and used as a dischsrging pier for
freight. The total loss will be about
i35g,000 to 500. 600. The fire origi.
mated on board the lighter Lorens,
which was moored at the extreme end
of the dock. The Waterman saw
smoke Issuing from the center OF a
pile of cotton on the l. rena, and
started 20 give the alarm. There was
no one on the pier at the time, and
before the Waterman reached the
alarm box the cotton was blazing iuri.
ously aud dense clouds OF smoke were
blown on 10 the shore. BY the time
the firsmgn arrived the pier WIS
abltze. Ga the north side Of tbs pier
was the steamer Lone Star, which col
lided with thu steamer Welle City a
few weeks ago, ard on the south eide
wgB the steamer City of New York.
Between the Stonipgtop pier on the
south side and the Guion Line pier on
the nor.h aide there were moored
eight lighters loaded with cotton. The
wind was blowing furious gale in a
northeast rly direction, aud as the cot
ton on the pier caught fire the smoke
filed the street 30 that it was
impossible to ses any distance. The
blszs was beaiGg down on the steam.
ar Lone Star, and it was only few
minutes before she was O. fire. The
q o patrol boatmen made several at
tsmpts to get the steamer out from the
fire. II wss low tide, aud she was
grounded. Three OF the Pennsylva-
MIA Railroad Ccmpsny's tugs helped
the p1trol ard at last the Star YVES
towed out iatO the river and streams
OF water were played on her. She YVES
towed over 10 the New Gutenberg
shore and left ia charge OF two tugs
She ia most totally destroyed. She
was built about twelve years ago, and
cost 1925 900. She has deprecated in
value since that time, and the loss on
her will probably bs about Sl00, 000, on
which there is no insurance. After
the Lone star wac got out of the way
attention was turned to the steamer
City OF New York and lit was towed
to midstream without being injured.
This was a. 7 o'clock, aud Chief Nc
Gill and twelve of his men had man.
aged TO reach the end OF the pier.
They were trying to work their way to
the lighter Llrena, when one of their
number glanced behind him
and in an excited manner he ex-
claimed: "Good God, boys, we are
hemmed in" The chief looked in the
direction OF the street and saw that the
whole front OF the pier was ablSzs and
that their means of escape were cut off.
The men rushed to the side of the pier
and got out on the string pier. Every
minute the fire from both ends was
fast sweeping toward them. The
smoke was so suffocaing that it was
difficult to breathe. Their only hope
for escape WAS to jump into the water
and take their chances OF being abe TO
swim ashore through a gulf OF fire.
| The water was fl led with burning
bales OF cotton. Chief McGill mus
tered his men around him and they
played on the fire with one stream,
which they had ran on to the nier
hoping that for a time they would bas'
back the flames. The fire surrounded
| the hose, and it melted in shori time
When this gave out Chief McGil
| called his men about him and said
"Boys, the only thing for us
10 do now ia to risk swim
ming" Just as he WAS about
TO Jump into the water, one oil
the men sp ed the tugbost ID. M. Cox
She vss brought to the dock and
Chief MGGill and his men were taken
en- DO I'd without anyone being hurt
The men were no sooner on board Of
the tug than word was bought 10
them that Henry Wyatt, one of the
tireman of the Steamer Lone Star, was
locked mp in the Office, which was q
shcrt distance fr IN the entrance on
the water side of the pier. He wa
crying loudly for he p. The firemen
passt him an AK and he tried to cut
his way out He YVES almost over
come, and his efforts were very weak,
The window was pried open and he
was dragged out in an inseDsible con
| dition.
On the dock were 1900 bales Of cot.
ton and on the eight barges 200 hales,
making in all about 40C0 bales. In ali
36i0 balas of cotton were destroyed
worth 100000. Three thousand bales
Of this was through cotton destined fol
expectation aud insured by the ship
pers. SIX lighters in all were fred
and all were practically destroyed be-
fore the flames were extinguished
The Lone Star had no steam up and
was unable to save herself. When
towed out she was sblszs from stem to
stern. As she cleared the pier she
broke loose from her tugs and, driven
by the strong shorewMd wind, dpf ed
back. She struck the end of the Gu on
pier just north of the Morgan d Oh
aud stuck there only for few mo,
ments, but hey were MON ents of the
gravest danger. The Guion pier, with
it's extensive shed, were piled high
with freight. The steamship AlasKa
was loading alongtide, aud il
was threatened with the fate
of its neighbor, but prompt ectioI
avetted The burning, The tugs dragged
the Lone Star away. TIE New YORK
of the Morgan Line, which had beer
lying in the north side of the barring
pier to windwa d of the fire, came il
yesterday ard had not commen,ed
unloading. She was not touched by
the fire. The Stonirgton pier, on the
south Of tbs Morgan linz was in ex
IRENE danger. The steamer St0ning
ton was towed out into the stream ant
saved, The pier occupied by tbs
Morgan Line was owned by the Citv,
Il was totally desttoyed; loss SIS 600
1t is known that q watchmsn called
"Big Harry" was on the lighter Lnrent
when 1t caught fire. He has not been
seen since. There are many theories
as to the origia of the fire. Il is be
lieVcd chat TIE vatChman's pipe was
the cause 1t ia Cs'im ted that the
tntal os' II about $500, 400.
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